Nominated for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries for her role in Confirmation, Washington walked the red carpet in an off-the-shoulder Cavalli Couture gown. The actress finished her look with Stuart Weitzman shoes and Neil Lane jewelry.

Prior to strutting her stuff, Washington shared a picture of a Safety Pin on Instagram. "I'll be wearing one of these tonight. On my arm. To show solidarity. We will not stop fighting for our safety & the safety of our fellow citizens and human beings," the star wrote. "#NoBanNoWall."

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Washington elaborated on its significance while talking to BradGoreski on E!'s Live From the Red Carpet. "I want to tell you about my special accessory, which is a safety pin on my dress," she said. It is a "symbol of solidarity and standing up for people who are feeling endangered at this time: people of color, [the] LGTBQ community, women. So, it's just my little accessory to say we have to stick together and show up for each other, because I happen to be at an award show tonight, and there's other things going on in the world that are a little more important."

Nominees like Simon Helberg made similar political statements on the red carpet, while many winners, like Mahershala Ali and Julia Louis-Dreyfus, addressed the immigration ban onstage.

But the evening wasn't all political.

Washington—who made a rare red carpet appearance with her husband, Nnamdi Asomugha—also discussed the return of ABC's Scandal with Goreski. "It was so fun to be back on Twitter with our friends, with our gladiators. We've missed everyone! It was really good to be back," she said of the hit Shonda Rhimes series, which returned for its sixth season Jan. 26. "People were excited about that first episode. We loved it; we're happy other people did, too."

Live-tweeting can be "a lot," Washington admitted, "but I'm so grateful for it. We wouldn't have a show if it wasn't for our fans. So, whatever we can do to give back, I'm very, very grateful for."